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Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Jessica Jackley's Ted Talk, "Poverty, Love, and Money" touches upon a lot of themes that surround many of us who are involved in community engagement, volunteerism, and social justice. Around the CCE, we like to downplay the use of the word "help." It is not with a mentality that we are giving to those less fortunate out of guilt, shame, or feeling more adequate, but with the mindset that we are sharing a skill or gift with our neighbors who are in turn sharing their skills and gifts with us. Rather than a one-way road, we emphasize building symbiotic partnerships with those we work and interact with. This mindset is relatively new. Many people, like Jessica, give money or time to help someone because it is what is expected of them. They hear stories about the poor suffering and think only to address this immediate misfortune. However, there are two sides to every story. I highly encourage you to watch Jessica's talk, hear about her exploration of the state of poverty, application of love, and power of money. If you're unsure how to tackle a social justice you find challenging, how to better understand and empathize with someone you may otherwise look down on because of their financial status, how you fit in to society as a volunteer or advocate, this video is perfect for you! Video link: http://bit.ly/14WXXilJessica's foundation: http://bit.ly/13rUfsIhttp://http://

Our Mission

The Center for Community Engagement supports the mission and vision of Eastern Connecticut State University by providing resources to build a culture of civic responsibility and engaged learning. The CCE creates sustainable, effective and productive relationships with community partners that benefit students, faculty and the community.